‘Mr Proctor?’ said the boy. ‘I know I’m too young at the moment; that there is still college. But I’ve been thinking about the future.’
‘What about it?’
‘You know how good my grades are?’
‘Brilliant.’
‘And I’ve got perfect Russian?’
‘Yes.’
‘What do you imagine my chances would be of joining the Bureau, when I graduate?’
The bespectacled man smiled. ‘Excellent,’ he said.
‘Would you help me: sponsor me?’ asked the boy.
‘Consider it done,’ said Proctor. He took his spectacles off, to polish them. Petr Levin would be a fantastic recruit to the Bureau: just fantastic.